You are what you eat

We have all heard about how we need to stop eating food that is bad for us. I learned the hard way(kind of). A few months ago, I would get sick every time I ate. Fruit, veggies, meat, even crackers…sick, sick, sick. I don’t mean the slight nausea/upset stomach sick…I mean my body literally rejected the food in all ways humanly possible. I went to the doctor and guess what? They tested me, picked, poked, prodded and still found nothing. Their guesses? Thyroid, pregnancy, post pregnancy,gallbladder, IBS, acid reflux….all wrong.

Gluten. Yep, wheat, barley, rye and oats. D@mn gluten is in everything! Icecream, sweet tea, soy sauce, pasta, bread…pizza:( Then when I did my homework, I found in store bought packaged items, the list went on and on…chicken, cheese, even juice. Frustrated, I thought what in the world can I eat? The more and more I thought and researched the more I felt comforted. Did I find a hidden secret list of edible foods? No, I realized that I was not eating a healthy diet- celiac’s or no celiac’s. Yea sure, I had given up virtually all fast food(I only ate at Chic-Fil-A, Subway and 3 Guys and Fries) and sure I tried to balance my meals with veggies and fruit. But still I ate fried foods, GMO foods, and heavily processed foods including the devil of them all High Fructose Corn Syrup.

My body is a temple, a Holy Temple and I was using cardboard and scotch tape to build mine. No wonder I was falling apart. So, we set out to go where no ethnic person has gone before(ok thats harsh but you always see these health food hippies and they are seldom Latino or black- unless they’re Muslim but thats a whole different thing called Halal which means acceptable to God). We settled on whole food/ Adapted China Study Diet, fresher the better approach. This means eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes with smaller portions of meat and grain(the safe versions for me) and minimal dairy(around 5%). So in simple terms, large portions of plant based food, small supplements of grain and animal products

So, for me this is totally foreign. I’m a comfort food, meat and potatoes, fried chicken and fries, arroz con pollo type of girl. I had no idea what meals to make, what foods to buy and most important where to start. In researching, I found a lot of recipes, ideas, and most of all support. I will be posting recipes and ideas on this page. Check back for more later.

The hardest part of this whole endeavor was getting over my addiction to processed foods. I was so surprised when I noticed my headaches and mood swings would follow my normal meal/eating patterns(esp caffeinated drinks and lunch food). It took 2 good weeks to feel “normal” eating good food. Since then, I have more energy and focus. I rarely have digestion problems or headaches. I sleep better and wake up more refreshed.

I am not here to convert anyone, but to emphasis how important what you put in your body is in determining what you get out of it. All of the main diseases in this country are linked to what? Diet. So we are eating ourselves sick. The diseases that can not be controlled by diet can be helped by vitamins, herbs and minerals. Did you know most prescribed medicines have a natural/herbal twin? Why then are we feeding ourselves false foods that cause disease that we in turn take medicine(chemical) for, which in turn causes more disease through side effects, which we in turn take more medicine. Its a hamster wheel of a system, isn’t it?

Scared to quit bad food? I was too, but don’t be like me and wait until your body gets so sick it rejects food. Or like a friend of mine who was diagnosed with Diabetes and Hypertension in her 20’s. Don’t wait until your body gives in to throw in the junk food towel. Honor your Holy Temple. Feed your body right. What’s right? Research, and determine what is right for you and your family.

If you have not already please watch Food Inc, King Corn, SuperSize Me InGREEDients, What’s on Your Plate and Deconstructing Supper. (just for starters:)

If you haven’t read The China Study read it. It is the longest, most extensive independent research on the correlation of food and health. I know a lot of people lately have decided that it was “debunked” but if you seek the knowledge yourself, you will see the truth in black and white.

.Here are some quotes to keep in mind:

“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”~ Thomas Edison

“He that takes medicine and neglects diet wastes the skills of the physician.” ~ Chinese proverb

“Today, more than 95% of all chronic disease is caused by food choice, toxic food ingredients, nutritional deficiencies and lack of physical exercise.”~ Mike Adams

“Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food.” ~ Hippocrates